Improvement in stereoscopes



3 Sheets--Sheetl.

L. D'. SIBLEY.

Stereoscopes.

N0 166,942 Patented Aug. 24,1875.

3 Sheets She'et 2. L. D. SIBLEY.

Stereoscopes. No. 166,942. PatentedAug-24,1875.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITMOGRAMER, wAsmNGToN, D C.

UNITED STATES LORENZO'D. SlIBLEY, OF 'VINELAND, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEREOS COPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 166,942. dated August24, 1875; application filed March 17, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORENZO D. SIBLEY, of Vineland, county of Cumberlandand State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements inStereoscopes; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken inconnection with the drawings which accompany and form part of thisspecification is a description of my invention sufficient to enablethose skilled in the art to practice it.

My present invention is an improvement on that shown in my patent No.141,822, dated August 12, 1873, in which is used a book for holding thepictures, so that the opening of a leaf or leaves of this book willpresent to view the picture desired, or all successively, and in whichthe lens-frame is arranged to swing to either side to bring to viewanother set of 7 pictures held by the leaves of the book.

My improvements consist in a platform, either level or inclined, againstor upon which the back of the book may rest to support it, this platformbeing provided with a ledge or border, from and over which the leavesmay be turned, as desired; also, in making the frame or box in twoparts, so' that when brought together they become inclosed, and box upthe pictures compactly, and when the instrument is being used theseparts open out from each other and lay the book in proper position foruse; also, in a provision for shiftin g laterally the lenses to varytheir refrangibility, and adapt them to the eyes of different persons;also, in constructing the frames which form the book-leaves of wire atall the edges, instead of open at one edge, thus insuring greaterstrength and tightness; also, in the employment, with these leaf-frames,of movable bars arranged to slide and to catch in notches at theopposite ends or sides of the leaves or hinged frames, to accommodatethemselves to pictures of different widths, and to hold them in place inthe leaf; in arranging the lens-frame on the swinging arms, so that whenit is not in use its hood may be swung down out of the way, and beneathits supporting-bar, and not project above it, thus protecting it, andmaking the structure more compact; in a swinging or pivoted piece forattachment to the movable bars, having a catch or a clasp, or both, forholding the picture to'place, the catch being designed for holding itnear the corner at one side, and the clasp for holding it near thecorner at the top; also, in other details hereinafter named.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical transverse section of astereoscope illustrating my invention, partly broken away, the box andbook being spread open. Fig. 2 is a front view of the box and frame whenclosed; Fig. 3, a detached view of the devices for shifting the lensesand a section of a lens; Fig. 4, one of the wire picture-frames, withits shiftingbar and fastening devices and picture-clasps; Fig. 5, one ofthe open-work sides of the box; Figs. 6 and 7, details of the catches,clasps, and teeth of the picture-frame, and of the blanks for making thesame.

A is the main frame; B, the swinging lensframe; 0, the divided box forholding the book of pictures; D, the metallic frames for each leaf ofthis book E, the reversible lenssupport on the frame B. The box is madein twoparts, C O, linked together by links f, and one of these parts hasa bottom or platform, 9, which may be either level or inclined, and uponwhich the back of the book H closely rests or lies, and over a sharpedge or border, c, of this platform, as on a fulcrum, the leaves of thebook, successively falling, and acting like levers, draw the entirebook, leaf by leaf, until it rests, by its opposite back,on the otherplatform, where it is then ready to be drawn back in a similarmanner todisplay a different set of pictures, viewed through the lenses,which,for this purpose, are thenswung to the opposite side of the mainframe. An inclined revolving button may be employed, if desired, to turnover the leaves successively, substantially as shown in my patent No.141,822.

These platforms or bottoms, it will be seen, always support the book,which, therefore, does not, as in constructions heretofore used, hang byits entire weight on a sharp edge, and therefore soon wear out; and theplatform also prevents the book from climbing when turning over anupright support merely. The leaves of the book are linked or hingedtogether. The two parts 0 O of the box are each pivoted to the frame, soas to swing back from a vertical to' an inclined position, their turesinto proper position relatively to the lenses.

The link or links f limitthe distance to which (3 and C may be separatedand each half, (3 or G, of the box serves precisely the same function orduty, in permitting the pictures to turn or open from either half intothe other, the one ledge i performing the same function or duty in bothcases. This division of the box and its opening apart renders it adaptedfor using single or disconnected stereoscopic pictures, as well as abook of them united together.

It will be understood that each leaf-frame D is designed to hold twopictures back to back, and therefore that upon reversing the apparatusby swinging back the lens-frame B a new set of pictures is presented tothe view.

The sides of the box I make open in ornamental open-cut or fancyscroll-work of attractive patterns, which not only reduces the weight ofthe apparatus, but also permits the pictures, or the covers of a book ofpictures, or any inserted card or picture, or bright colors to showthrough, and thus add at the same time to the beauty of the box.

The somewhat wedge-shaped lenses used in stereoscopes, as is well known,are of such varying thicknesses that their capacity for refracting therays of light differs considerably at different points in the lens. Theyare thus not adaptedforall kinds of eyes, the eyes ofmany persons beingnearer together or farther apart than those of others. Hence, I make mylenses adjustable in position, as may be required, employing for thispurpose a lever, 70, having arms I I, each of which has a bend or pin,m, entering a loop, a, connected with a lens. The shifting of the leverthus moves the lenses nearer to, or farther from, each other to anydesired extent, the lenses moving in suitable guideways. Each leaf-frameof the book is not, as in my former patent, open at the top, nor does ithold and release the card or picture by bending over upon it the metalsides of the frame every time the picture is inserted or removed. On thecontrary, my present book is formed of wire at all its edges, sides andtop included, as seen at 0 q 1', thus making it stronger and moredurable, as well as less liable to damage and breakage. It is also muchlighter than when formed partly of wood. In order to accommodatepictures of different widths, and yet hold them firmly in each leaf, Iemploy movable sliding bars 8, having near each end a pivot ed or asliding pawl or catch, t, adapted to engage with any one of a series ofteeth or notches, u, made on the wire leaf or preferably on a piece ofsheet metal, u Fig. 7, and bent to place 011 the frame, the teeth beingon the inside of the leaf or hinged frame. The

shifting of this bar s permits the introduction of the cards intotheframe, and also the adjustment of the bar, so that the catches it,whether made to swing or to slide, shall hold it firmly when adjusted. Ialso employ clasps '17 on the bars to embrace the top of the picture ateach end, and I prefer to make the catch 2? and clasp 'v in one piece,both swinging or pivoted on the same pivot; and the proper adjustment ofthe catch in the proper notches in such case also adjusts the clasp onthe picture. v

The swinging clasps and the catches may, however, be separate anddistinct from each other.

On the swinginglens-support E is mounted a frame, to, on which aresustained the lenses and the hoods :r no, this frame to having journalsy y, whereby, when the stereoscope is no longer in use, or is to bepacked away, the hood may be swung down, and lie beneath instead ofabove the lenses, and be out of the way of damage.

The box has two central projections, Z Z, at its sides, for two reasons,viz to keep the stereoscope from tipping, and thus answering assupporting-legs, and also to serve as handles when it is desired to holdthe instrument in the hands. I prefer to have these legs on or asforming part of a central crossbar, 2, extending across the bottom ofthe box, thus giving great strength when used as a handle, while at thesame time serving to strengthen the box.

I claim I 1. In a stereoscope, a platform, g, for supporting the back ofa book, holding a series of pictures, and provided with an edge overwhich the leaves of the book are turned, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. The box made in two hinged parts, 0 0,

opening from each other, each part being adapted for supporting the backand displaying the pictures as they are viewed from either side of theapparatus.

3. In combination with the lenses of a stereoscope, mechanism operatingsubstantially as described, whereby they may be adjusted to or from eachother, for the purpose set forth.

4. The leaf-frame of the book, for the re-..

ception and holding of stereoscopic pictures, constructed of continuouswire extending around all its four sides, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. In combination with the wire frames 0 p q r, the notches u at theirinner sides, whether made on the wire or on a separate piece, u,

and applied to the frame, as and for the pur: pose set forth.

6. The movable and adjustable bars 8, provided with swinging or slidingcatches t, adapted to engage with teeth a on the leaves, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

7. The movable and adjustable bars 8, provided with swinging clasps 11,adapted to receive and clasp the edges of the pictures, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

8. The piece tu, constructed as described, the reversible or turninglens-support E, as from sheet metal, and bent so as to form both and forthe purpose described. the catch or pawl t and the clasp u, about atright angles to each other, and provided with a pivot-hole near itsangle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. In combination with the swing-frame B,

LORENZO D. SIBLEY.

Witnesses: I F. S. OHUBBUGK, S. B. COOPER.

